“Not at all. Reggie understands why I made the decision I made,” Mark Davis said. “Look, I understand what Reggie is trying to do. Reggie’s fine. He’s the one guy that I’ve hired. I’ve got to give him room to do his job.”

Owner Mark Davis fired Oakland Raiders public relations director Zak Gilbert over the weekend. Gilbert had only been with the Raiders for a year, but when he was hired, he brought over 10 years of media relation experience to the team

The Oakland Raiders haven’t lived up to their slogan of “Commitment to Excellence” for a decade. Since losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII, the Raiders have been plagued by questionable personnel decisions and bad player contracts. Reggie McKenzie, who was the Green Bay Packers director of football operations before being hired as general manager in January 2012, is overseeing one of the NFL’s most difficult tasks in his attempt to rebuild the Raiders.

This was supposed to be a year where the Raiders would finally have a winning season and possibly challenge for a playoff spot. But under new head coach Dennis Allen and general manager Reggie McKenzie, the team’s rebuilding efforts were largely unsuccessful. A few players showed promise but overall, it was a frustrating season for the organization and the team’s long suffering fans.

With the Raiders mired in another losing season, now is the time for quarterback Terrelle Pryor to get his chance to prove to his coaches and the fans what he can do. The Raiders are guaranteed a top five pick in the upcoming NFL draft so there’s nothing to lose by playing him. In fact, a loss by the team only helps to ensure a better draft pick.

The 3-10 Raiders continue to make roster cuts to players who aren’t performing as the front office expected. This week featured the release of cornerback Ron Bartell and the reinstatement of disgrunted linebacker Rolando McClain. There is also speculation that long-time punter Shane Lechler will not return next season given his advanced age and high salary.